What to Consider When Positioning Your New Shed

If you are considering one of our garden sheds, the chances are you already have a space in mind to position your new building in your garden; however, there are several factors that may affect that decision. Depending on the intended use and look of your building, you will need to consider the distance your shed is to your property boundary, the proximity of your shed to your home and the level of exposure your shed has to the elements and other hazards.

If you would like some help in choosing the best spot for your new shed, we have compiled a list of helpful considerations for you to think about.

The Distance to Your Property Boundary

The distance to the boundary of your property is a very important factor when deciding where to position your shed. Depending on where you place it in relation to your boundary, you may need to have planning permission, or the overall look and design of your shed may have to be altered to ensure it complies with permitted development regulations.

For a building that is placed less than 2.0m from the boundary, the overall height of the building can be no higher than 2.5m tall. However, we can lower the pitch on the apex roof sheds in our Superior range to bring the overall height down and if you prefer a pent roof shed, all of ours are under 2.5m.

If you would like a taller garden shed and do not want to apply for planning permission, you will need to place your building more than 2.0m from the boundary of your property. Single storey garden buildings can have a maximum eave height of 2.5m, with any buildings over this height needing planning permission.

If you live in a listed building or your property is located on designated land, permitted development rules are different. You can check if you need planning permission using our interactive planning permission calculator.

The Proximity to Your Home

If your shed will be a feature in your garden and can be seen from your house, you may want to make it look attractive by having features such as a tiled roof, Georgian windows and a painted exterior. You may also want to consider the style of your property and have your shed match with either a modern or more traditional design. If you want to have your shed painted in the same colour as either the door or window frames of your house, we offer the option of having a colour matched shade made in our exterior paint system to help you achieve this.

The purpose of your shed is another big consideration when choosing where is the best place to put your shed. Sheds that are going to be frequently used will be best placed near to the home, whereas if you are going to be storing heavy duty items such as a ride-on lawnmower, you may want it situated further down the garden to give you more room to manoeuvre items in and out.

If you are going to use your shed as a workshop, you may consider a location further away from the house, so you are less likely to be disrupted by family members. This will also have its benefits for your household as you will not disturb them with loud noises. However, a shed with a log store would be best suited closer to the home so the logs are within easy reach in the colder months. 

Exposure to The Elements and Other Hazards

How open the area where your shed is placed determines how exposed it is to different weather conditions. A shed in the middle of your garden will be more exposed to rain, which could lead to water damage. Guttering can be installed to combat this as it will collect rainwater and deposit it away from the shed, protecting the bottom boards. You could also consider having a roof overhang, which will give the shed extra protection as well as yourself when exiting and entering.

A shed that is tucked away amongst trees and greenery will be more shaded, which could provide better conditions for working inside during the hotter months of the year. This may leave it exposed to damage during storms though, as windy weather can cause branches and twigs to scrape the paintwork.

If you do decide to place your shed in a more secluded location, you may want to have a path and lights fitted after installation to give a clear and well-lit walkway. You may also want additional security measures installed, such as CCTV and motion-detecting lights, to act as a deterrent for potential burglars.

We hope that our customers’ sheds are always secure and safe from the threat of theft, so we offer a security pack on our Superior Sheds for extra protection. Our security pack includes a heavy duty, fully encased 7 lever lock that is anti-sawing, anti-picking, anti-cropping and anti-prising, non-returnable security screws on the door hinges that are impossible to unscrew, and 13mm stainless steel bars mortised into the window frames.

Our sheds are available in a range of different styles and sizes so you can find one that suits your needs. Whether you want a simple yet high quality shed, like our Classic Shed range, a more traditional shed from our National Trust collection, or one of our customisable Superior Sheds. If you are looking for a workshop or hobby room, you may find that one of the buildings from our wider Summerhouse and Studio ranges would meet your requirements.

If you want to take a closer look at our FSC® certified timber garden buildings, we warmly invite you to visit us at one of our UK show centres. We have over 25 different buildings on display at each and you will be able to see for yourself the quality of our buildings, plus all the interior and exterior design options we offer.

For help with any queries, or to discuss your garden shed project with our advisors, please get in touch with us. You can give us a call on 01760 444229 or email sales@cranegardenbuildings.co.uk.